Brindle Pup Broadcast Burn Planned on the Verde Ranger District
Favorable weather conditions in place for hazardous fuels reduction work
Contact Information: Prescott Public Affairs sm.fs.prescottpao@usda.gov
Prescott, Ariz., March 16, 2026 — Fire managers on the Prescott National Forest plan to conduct an 872-acre broadcast burn on the Verde Ranger District. Pending all required approvals, ignitions could begin as early as Monday, March 23, and continue for several days as conditions remain favorable.
Smoke may be visible from Interstate 17 and State Route 169 in the Prescott Valley, Prescott, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Dewey and Cherry areas. Smoke will be heaviest during active ignitions, with some residual smoke possible for several days afterward. For detailed air quality information, visit fire.airnow.gov.
The Prescott National Forest’s land management strategy focuses on long‑term forest health and reducing hazardous fuels. Prescribed fire with low to moderate fire behavior helps reduce fuel loads and increase forest and community resilience. In the wildland‑urban interface, prescribed fire lowers the risk of wildfire to communities by creating buffer zones where firefighters have a higher probability of safely stopping future unwanted wildfires.
All prescribed fire activity is dependent on the availability of personnel and equipment, weather, fuels, and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (www.azdeq.gov). Although no closures or restrictions are associated with this burn, visitors are reminded to obey all traffic signs and use caution when traveling near prescribed fire operations, as firefighters and fire‑related traffic will be in the area.
Stay up to date on Prescott National Forest news by visiting the Prescott NF website and following the forest on Facebook.
About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
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